Garbage container and holder therefore

ABSTRACT

A garbage container and a garbage container holder assembly therefore is provided with holder assembly including a base plate which is anchored to the ground and which has a rib receiving portion formed thereon and a pedal which is spring-loaded from thereon. The garbage container has an outwardly projected rib at its lower end which may be positioned below the rib receiver and which may be positioned below the projecting portion of the spring-loaded pedal. The cooperation of the holder with the container maintains the container on the holder in windy conditions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a garbage can and a holder therefore andrelates more particularly to a holder for a specially designed garbagecan which prevents the garbage can from being blown over and/or away.

2. Description of the Related Art

In most cities, a household garbage can must be placed at the curb toenable the garbage collector to have convenient access to the garbagecan to dump the contents thereof into a garbage truck. In many cases,the filled garbage can awaiting collection will be blown over whichfrequently results in the garbage being spilled from the garbage canwhich creates an unsightly mess.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the DetailedDescription. This Summary is not intended to identify key aspects oressential aspects of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, this Summaryis not intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of theclaimed subject matter.

A garbage can or container, including a holder therefore is described.The garbage container includes a bottom wall portion having an uppersurface and a lower surface, and an upstanding side wall portion havingan interior surface and exterior surface, an upper end and a lower end,which extends upwardly from the bottom wall portion. The container hasan outwardly projecting rib which extends therefrom adjacent the lowerend of the container. The rib extends at least partially around thecontainer and preferably at least half way around the container. Thegarbage container holder assembly comprises a base plate having an uppersurface, a lower surface, and a peripheral edge. The base plate isadapted to be secured to a supporting surface such as the ground bymeans of a screw-type anchor or the like. The base plate has a dimensionsufficient to support the bottom wall portion of the container thereon.The base plate has a rib receiver positioned above the upper surface ofthe base plate adjacent the peripheral edge thereof which is adapted toreceive the outwardly projecting rib of the container positioned on thebase plate. The base plate has a spring-loaded foot pedal apparatuspositioned adjacent the peripheral edge thereof for selective engagementwith the container to maintain the rib in the rib receiver so that thecontainer will be maintained on the base plate of the container holderassembly and which will not be blown over and/or away. The garbagecontainer may be either generally cylindrical, tapered cylindrical orquadrilateral in cross section.

It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide animproved garbage container and holder assembly therefore which preventsthe garbage container from being blown over or away by wind.

A further object of the invention is to provide a garbage containerholder which is anchored to the ground and which selectively receives agarbage container thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide a garbage containerholder which is adapted to support a specially designed garbagecontainer thereon with the holder assembly and garbage container havingmating or cooperating surfaces thereon to selectively detachably securethe garbage container to the garbage container holder assembly.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a garbage containerholder assembly which may be secured to the ground by means of a screwanchor or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a garbage container anda holder assembly therefore which is convenient to use.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention aredescribed with reference to the following figures, wherein likereference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various viewsunless otherwise specified.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the garbage container and holder of thisinvention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the garbage container and holder ofFIG. 1 illustrating the manner in which the holder is anchored to theground;

FIG. 3 is an exploded top perspective view of the holder of thisinvention;

FIG. 4 is an exploded bottom perspective view of the holder of thisinvention;

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view illustrating the holder of thisinvention anchored to the ground;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of the garbage containerand holder;

FIG. 7 is an exploded bottom perspective view of a further modifiedholder of this invention; and

FIG. 8 is a bottom elevational view of the modified holder of FIG. 7with the anchor in position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Embodiments are described more fully below with reference to theaccompanying figures, which form a part hereof and show, by way ofillustration, specific exemplary embodiments. These embodiments aredisclosed in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art topractice the invention. However, embodiments may be implemented in manydifferent forms and should not be construed as being limited to theembodiments set forth herein. The following detailed description is,therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense in that the scope of thepresent invention is defined only by the appended claims.

In FIGS. 1-5, the numeral 10 refers to a specially designed garbagecontainer while the numeral 12 refers to a garbage container holderassembly. Garbage container 10 may be either of the round and taperedcontainer seen in FIGS. 1-5 or square or rectangular cross-section if sodesired. The container 10 is comprised of a plastic material andincludes a bottom wall portion or member 14 having an upper surface 16,bottom surface 18 and a peripheral edge. The numeral 22 refers to anoutwardly projecting rib which is positioned below a recess area 24which extends around the periphery of the side wall portion 24 whichextends upwardly from bottom wall portion 14. If the rib 22 extendssufficiently laterally from the container 10, the recessed area 24 maynot be necessary. Preferably, the rib 24 extends completely around theperiphery of the garbage container 10 but if desired, the rib 22 couldextend only partially around the container 10.

Garbage container holder assembly 12 includes a base plate 26 having anupper surface 28, a lower surface 30 and a peripheral edge 32. Assembly12 includes an inwardly projecting rib receiver 34 which defines arecessed area 36 therebelow. As seen in FIG. 3, the rib receiver 34extends approximately half way around the base plate 26 but the samecould extend less than half way around the container if so desired. Baseplate 26 has a plurality of openings 37 formed therein to permitrainwater or the like to drain downwardly therethrough.

The numeral 38 refers to a spring-loaded pedal preferably comprised ofplastic which is mounted on the base plate 26 opposite to the rib 34 asseen in FIGS. 3 and 4. The pedal 38 has an outwardly projecting footportion 40 provided thereon to enable a person to step on the same tomove the pedal 38 from its normally closed (locked) position to an open(unlocked) position. The inner side of pedal 38 is provided with arecess 42 formed therein which is adapted to receive a portion of therib 22 therein.

The lower surface 30 of base plate 26 has a receptacle 44 formed thereininto which the upper end portion 45 of an anchor 46 is inserted. Theanchor may be of the screw type illustrated in the drawings or of anyother configuration which would anchor the base plate 26 to the ground.Preferably, the screw portion of the anchor 46 is approximately 6-8inches long. The fact that the anchor 46 is removably secured to thereceptacle 44 enables the anchor 46 to be removed from the receptaclefor shipping purposes.

In use, the anchor 46 will be positioned in the receptacle 44 and thebase plate 26 will be screwed or anchored to the ground at the curb sidelocation or any other location where the garbage is to be collected. Thegarbage container 24 is secured to the base plate 26 by inserting aportion of the rib 22 into the recessed area 36 of the member 34 andthen stepping onto the foot portion 40 to move the pedal 38 to its openposition so that a portion of the rib 22 may be received in the recessedarea 42 at which time the person will remove his/her foot from the footportion 40 which will cause the spring-loaded pedal to engage the rib 22to positively maintain the garbage container on the base plate.

When the garbage collector comes to collect the garbage, he/she mayeasily remove the garbage container 24 from the base plate 26 bystepping on the foot portion 40 to move the pedal 38 to its openposition which will permit the container 24 to be easily removed fromthe base plate 26. After the garbage has been dumped from the container24, the garbage collector will hopefully reinsert the empty garbagecontainer 24 onto the base plate 26.

FIG. 6 illustrates a modified form of the invention wherein the garbagecontainer 10′ is quadrilateral in shape and wherein the holder 12′ isquadrilateral in shape.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a further modified form of the holder which isreferred to by the reference numeral 12″. The lower surface 30″ of baseplate 26″ has a generally rectangular shaped slot 50 which extendsupwardly into the holder 12″ and which communicates with the inner endsof a pair of pie-shaped recesses 52 and 54 which extend horizontallylaterally from slot 50. Arcuate slots 56 and 58 extend from the oppositesides of slot 50 which communicate with recesses 52 and 54 respectively.In FIGS. 7 and 8, the numeral 45″ refers to the upper end portion ofanchor 46″ which includes a straight shank portion S at its upper end.

In use, the holder 12″ may be anchored to the ground by first insertingthe upper end portion 45″ of anchor 46″ into the slot 50. The anchor 46″and upper end 45″ is then moved into the recess 52 with shank portion Sbeing received by slot 56. The holder 12″ is then anchored to the groundby rotating the holder 12″ in a clockwise direction as viewed from abovethe holder 12″ which causes anchor 46″ to be screwed into the grounduntil the bottom surface of base plate 26″ engages the ground. Thegarbage container may then be positioned on the holder 12″.

If it is desired to remove the holder 12″ and the anchor 46″ from theground, the holder 12″ is rotated in a counter clockwise direction asviewed from above the holder 12″ which causes the upper end portion 45″of anchor 46″ to move into recess 54 as seen in FIG. 8, so thatcontinued counter clockwise rotation of holder 12″ will cause anchor 46″to be screwed upwardly from the ground.

If it is desired to leave the anchor 46″ in the ground while removingholder 12″ therefrom, the holder 12″ is slightly rotated in a counterclockwise direction so that upper end portion 45″ is aligned with slot50 at which time the holder 12″ may be moved upwardly with respect tothe upper end portion 45″ and anchor 45″ to disengage holder 12″ fromthe anchor 46″ and upper end portion 45″.

Thus it can be seen that a novel garbage container and holder thereforehas been provided which accomplishes at least all of its stated objects.

Although the invention has been described in language that is specificto certain structures and methodological steps, it is to be understoodthat the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarilylimited to the specific structures and/or steps described. Rather, thespecific aspects and steps are described as forms of implementing theclaimed invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can bepracticed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention,the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.

1. In combination: a garbage container including a bottom wall portionhaving an upper surface and a lower surface, and an upstanding side wallportion having an interior surface, an exterior surface, an upper endand a lower end, extending upwardly from said bottom wall portion; saidcontainer having an outwardly projecting rib which extends therefromadjacent said lower end of said side wall portion of said container;said rib extending at least partially around said container; and agarbage container holder assembly; said garbage container holderassembly comprising a base plate having an upper surface, a lowersurface and a peripheral edge; said base plate being adapted to besecured to a supporting surface; said base plate having a dimensionsufficient to support said bottom wall portion of said containerthereon; said base plate having a rib receiver positioned above saidupper surface of said base plate adjacent said peripheral edge which isadapted to receive said outwardly projecting rib of said containerpositioned on said base plate; said base plate having a foot pedalapparatus positioned adjacent said peripheral edge of said base platefor selective engagement with said container to maintain said rib insaid rib receiver to maintain said container on said base plate of saidcontainer holder assembly.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein saidrib extends completely around said container.
 3. The combination ofclaim 1 wherein said foot pedal apparatus is spring-loaded.
 4. Thecombination of claim 1 wherein said rib receiver comprises an inwardlyextending engagement member spaced above said upper surface of said baseplate.
 5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said engagement memberextends over said rib.
 6. The combination of claim 4 wherein saidcontainer has a recessed area formed in said side wall portion abovesaid rib and wherein said engagement member is received within saidrecessed area.
 7. The combination of claim 1 wherein said base plate hasan anchor means secured thereto to enable said garbage container holderassembly to be anchored to the ground.
 8. The combination of claim 1wherein said base plate has at least one drain opening formed therein.9. The combination of claim 1 wherein said rib receiver extendsapproximately half way around said base plate.
 10. The combination ofclaim 1 wherein said container is generally cylindrical in shape. 11.The combination of claim 1 wherein said container is quadrilateral inshape.
 12. The combination of claim 1 wherein said garbage containerholder assembly is comprised of a plastic material.
 13. The combinationof claim 1 wherein said base plate has an anchor means selectivelyremovably secured thereto.
 14. The combination of claim 13 wherein saidbase plate may be selectively removed from said anchor means withoutremoving said anchor means from the ground.
 15. A garbage container,comprising: a container including a bottom wall portion having an uppersurface and a lower surface, and an upstanding side wall portion havingan interior surface, an exterior surface, an upper end and a lower end,extending upwardly from said bottom wall portion; said container havinga rib which extends outwardly therefrom adjacent said lower end of saidside wall portion of said container; said rib extending at leastpartially around said container.
 16. The container of claim 15 whereinsaid container has a recessed portion formed in said exterior surface ofsaid side wall portion above said rib.
 17. A garbage container holderassembly comprising: a base plate having an upper surface, a lowersurface, a peripheral edge; said base plate being adapted to be securedto a supporting surface; said base plate having a dimension sufficientto support the bottom wall of a garbage container thereon; said baseplate having a rib receiver positioned above said upper surface of saidbase plate adjacent said peripheral edge which receives said outwardlyextending rib of the garbage container positioned on said base plate;said base plate having a foot pedal positioned adjacent said peripheraledge of said base plate for selective engagement with said container tomaintain said rib in said rib receiver to maintain the garbage containeron said base plate of the container holder assembly.
 18. The garbagecontainer holder assembly of claim 17 wherein an anchor means isselectively removably secured to said base plate to anchor said baseplate to the ground.
 19. The garbage container holder assembly of claim18 wherein said base plate may be selectively removed from said anchormeans without removing said anchor means from the ground.